Arts

Leaders in the Wichita arts community Wednesday met with the director of the newly formed Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission to talk about the organization's strategic plan.

The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission is the organization formed by the state in the 2012 legislative session in response to the fallout after Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed all arts funding in 2011.

Friday marks the centennial of the birth of photographer, composer, filmmaker and author Gordon Parks.

Celebrations have been held across the country in his honor, including several events at Wichita State University. Parks' third wife, Genevieve Young, spoke Thursday at Wichita State, which houses Parks' personal papers.

Young was former senior editor at Little Brown and Company and vice president of Bantam Books. She edited Gordon Parks' writings.

A premiere of the film Harvesting the High Plains will take place Friday at Wichita's Orpheum Theatre.

The film takes western Kansas from the 1930's Dustbowl to post World War II and was inspired by a book of the same name written by the late Craig Miner, former Wichita State professor and Kansas historian.

Director Jay Kriss says the film is a story about a farming operation that started in the middle of the Dustbowl but basically turned the American desert into the breadbasket of the world.

Broadway actor, recording artist and author Charles Holt is in Wichita this week, as part of the Centennial celebration of Gordon Park’s life.

Holt spoke at Wichita State and to public school students and will wrap up his visit at a book signing Thursday.